Eight Tips for Deploying Wi-Fi at Work - Slide 2

There is no doubt that Wi-Fi has entered the mainstream. Every laptop and netbook now comes with Wi-Fi, and we're not even counting tablet devices and an increasing number of smartphones. Compared to the single-digit count in most home deployments, though, the use of wireless in the office might not be as straightforward as one might think.

The usual disadvantage of interference to Wi-Fi signals applies to the office. And because neighboring offices also may be using Wi-Fi, as well as the correspondingly higher amount of data transferred during business hours, many of these problems are amplified. Moreover, a business wireless network is much more attractive to malicious attackers.

The bottom line is that setting up Wi-Fi in your SMB cannot be compared to the simplicity of a home wireless deployment. It can be much more complex and expensive for an optimum setup. IT managers should provision sufficient resources and not expect a plug-and-play experience.

In need of a new router, Paul Mah used the opportunity to explore the various wireless solutions on the market, even as he hunted for a replacement. He notes that while wireless technology offers a world of convenience, choosing the right hardware can make the difference between heightened productivity or frustration due to intermittent or poor performance. From his findings, he’s highlighted some tips that businesses should be aware of before deploying Wi-Fi networking in their organizations.

Network teams are investigating and adopting emerging technologies like SDN and 40 Gb ethernet networks on a limited basis, while UC and BYOD are approaching the threshold of mainstream adoption ... More >>